"You all seem to have already decided on the top and bottom roles." William Carter bent one leg, rested his arm on his knee, propped his chin with his palm, and looked at Grace Bennett with an unreadable expression.

"It's not that... James's character setting is just... Well, in the end, it all depends on what the netizens think." Grace Bennett was a bit flustered at first. She hadn't expected William Carter to raise this question, but after he said it, she suddenly felt that although this person was beautiful, his aura was truly powerful.

Although William Carter didn't hide his true personality in front of Grace Bennett, she didn't know about William Carter's flirtatious ways, nor that he was always the top, so she could only attribute his comment about top and bottom to men's innate desire for dominance.

"I see, it's fine." William Carter's lips curled up, and his gaze softened again. "I'm actually very easygoing."

In just a few minutes, the expression on William Carter's face changed several times, making Grace Bennett marvel inwardly. Such talent was wasted if not used for acting. Although she had experienced William Carter's abilities, she still didn't know why he had agreed to her invitation so readily. "You agreed to join the show without even asking about the pay?"

"Who cares how much it is." William Carter suddenly leaned back and flopped onto the bed. "Don't worry, I can't guarantee anything else, but I promise the show will get plenty of buzz." He suddenly remembered something, rolled over to lie on his side, and looked at Grace Bennett. "But with the character setting you gave me, James Turner probably won't accept it."

"It's fine, I'll talk to him. After all, he's been acting for so long, he won't go out of his way to sabotage things."

William Carter raised his eyebrows, feeling that things weren't as simple as Grace Bennett thought.

The next day, William Carter arrived at the recording site very early. He was taken by the staff to the dressing room for a quick touch-up. The makeup artist was a young girl. Although she was used to seeing beautiful celebrities, she was still a bit stunned when she saw William Carter, and while doing his makeup, she asked him for skincare tips. A young assistant named Little Andrew entered the dressing room. William Carter smiled at the young man in the mirror, making the other a bit embarrassed. Scratching the back of his head, he said, "Mr. Xia, Sister Grace Bennett asked me to be your assistant. If you need anything during the recording, just let me know."

"It feels like only older people get called 'Mr.'," William Carter put on his gentlest expression. "I should look pretty young, right?"

"Ah? No, no..."

"No?" William Carter smiled, his eyes curving like crescent moons.

"Ah, I mean... Sorry, sorry, you look like a college student. I-I'm new here, a bit nervous..." Little Andrew quickly waved his hands. "Um..."

"Just call me Xiqing." The so-called makeup was just some foundation and eyebrow shaping, much faster than expected. William Carter stood up, turned around, and shook hands with Little Andrew. "I'm twenty-five, probably a bit older than you, but I'll be counting on you to take care of me these days."

"Ah, then I'll call you Brother Xiqing." Little Andrew held William Carter's slender hand with both of his. "I have a lot to learn too, please bear with me."

So honest. William Carter was secretly surprised. This was actually pretty good; he had thought Grace Bennett would plant a smooth-talking spy, but it seemed he was overthinking it. The recording was scheduled for the evening. In the morning, Little Andrew took William Carter to the studio to shoot a set of promotional photos. After entering the studio, William Carter met the other two guests who were also there for the recording. Although William Carter had just returned to the country, he was somewhat familiar with the domestic entertainment industry. He recognized both guests: one was the recently skyrocketing solo female lead singer Samuel Harris, and the other was Charles Cooper, a current popular member of the boy group HighFive.

"I'm the only non-celebrity?" William Carter turned to ask Little Andrew.

Little Andrew nodded, then shook his head. "No, there's also a non-celebrity girl. I heard she's a member of Mensa."

William Carter nodded and was soon called over for photos. Unlike most non-celebrities, William Carter wasn't afraid of the camera. The photographer took a few test shots first, checked the previews, and was pleasantly surprised. "Have you modeled before?"

"Sort of." William Carter recalled his bizarre experience modeling for a friend's ready-to-wear collection at the Fashion Institute of Technology. "Totally amateur."

"Not bad, your limbs are long and you look great on camera." The photographer took a few more shots, then officially started the promotional shoot as required by the show. During the last set, William Carter saw a tall figure enter the studio.

"James is here."

He hardly needed to check—his radar instantly picked out James Turner. Not to mention that actor's dignified face, just the tall build alone was unmistakable.

Long time no see. William Carter's eyes returned to the camera, and he smiled.

Author's note: Reader: I want to reverse the CP...

James Turner: [covers mouth] No, you don't. I'll officially appear next chapter, everyone stay calm.

Little Uncle: So what if you appear? Aren't you still going to be teased by me? [shrugs]

James Turner: To everyone in the comments clamoring for a CP reversal, you've all been locked in by the "smells so good" law.

Chapter 5: Neither Here Nor There